Baz & Mendes

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WITH the success of Pedro Mendes this season, many Rangers fans have asked whether Barry Ferguson will feature when he fin-ally regains full fitness.

 

Mendes and Ferguson are, after all, almost identical central midfielders; they like to get on the ball, dictate play and weigh in with a few goals.

 

Portuguese star Pedro has been outstanding for the Gers since clinching a �£4million move from Barclays Premier League club Portsmouth in the summer.

 

The 29-year-old netted a sensational long-range goal in the 4-2 demolition of Celtic on his Old Firm debut at Parkhead back in August.

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And the ex-Porto ace also sent the Glasgow giants into the quarter-finals of the Co-operative Insurance Cup with a well-taken extra-time winner against Partick Thistle last month.

 

After such a blistering start, Ibrox boss Walter Smith will find it impossible to leave him out when his talismanic captain is available again.

 

So where, then, does that leave Ferguson, who is on the brink of returning to action after undergoing major ankle surgery back in July?

 

Well, after the 1-0 defeat by St Mirren at Love Street on Sunday, Fergie will be welcomed back with open arms by his manager, team-mates and supporters alike.

 

The Buddies' 3-5-2 formation stifled the creativity of former Champions League winner Mendes. But the ability and experience of Scotland skipper Barry alongside Pedro could have freed him to focus on the playmaker role.

 

Former Rangers centre-half and captain and current BBC pundit Craig Paterson feels Smith will strive to accommodate both men in his starting line-up - and succeed.

 

"Good players love to play with good players," Craig argued. "For me, the prospect of Ferguson and Mendes playing in the same starting line-up is a mouth-watering one.

 

"Yes, both players are good at keeping the ball, are great passers and like to get up the pitch and into the final third. But Walter will find a way to incorporate the two of them in his team.

 

"Rangers, and Celtic as well, are going to have games like the one against St Mirren on Sunday this season. Teams will set out to defend and frustrate them and sometimes they will succeed.

 

"In those situations, Rangers will need all the good players the can get. Barry and Pedro have the ability to win the ball and grab a game by the scruff of the neck. The manager will want them both involved.

 

"Rangers have done tremendously well to produce the run of results they have done without Barry in their team. But he will go into the side alongside Mendes as soon as he is ready."

 

The defeat by St Mirren - the first they have suffered in Paisley in 22 years - meant Rangers failed to reclaim top spot in the SPL from Celtic.

 

The unexpected loss has also led to an inevitable post mortem among their thousands of brassed-off fans - with many believing their team lacked any width.

 

Off-form DaMarcus Beasley was benched as substitutes Kris Boyd and Kyle Lafferty tried and failed to make the breakthrough up front.

 

Paterson, though, feels Smith was correct to go with the same group of outfield players who had dismantled Hibs in the league at Easter Road the previous weekend.

 

He feels Buddies boss Gus MacPherson deserves tremendous credit for leading his bottom-placed side to a deserved triumph over Smith's team.

 

Craig stressed: "Defensively, St Mirren were different class. They set out with a definite game plan and it worked.

 

"Some fans are saying Rangers didn't have width, but it wasn't a problem at Easter Road. The full-backs, Kirk Broadfoot and Sasa Papac, did a lot of the damage against Hibs.

 

"Gus has to be praised for identifying that as a danger area and ensuring his team snuffed out the threat."

 

 

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